Immigration Debate Sparks Record Spending by Numerous Special Interest Groups

In an attempt to jump-start a stalled immigration reform bill, President Barack Obama delivered his first major speech on immigration reform Thursday, arguing that the current system “offends our most basic American values.” He advocated for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform that would call on the government, businesses and illegal immigrants themselves to live up to their responsibilities within the law.

As the immigration debate heats up, impassioned groups on all sides of the immigration reform debate are joining the legislative battle by spending big bucks lobbying the federal government, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis finds.

The National Council of La Raza and the National Immigration Forum most dramatically demonstrated their lobbying prowess in 2009, spending $580,000 and $226,000, respectively, lobbying the federal government. ImmigrationWorks USA, a newer immigrant rights group, spent a total of $84,000 lobbying in 2009. Such totals represent significant increases from 2008 totals.

In 2009, the Federation for American Reform spent $390,000 lobbying the federal government, while NumbersUSA lobbying numbers reached $610,000.

To a lesser degree, immigration-related organizations have been contributing money to federal political candidates this election cycle through political action committees.

The anti-illegal immigration Minuteman PAC, for example, has donated $12,250 this cycle to federal candidates, with recipients including Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Republican U.S. Senate candidates J.D. Hayworth of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida. Much of the Minuteman PAC’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenditures this cycle have gone toward advertising and fund-raising.

Immigrants’ List, a PAC that supports sweeping immigration reforms, has so far this cycle donated $6,000 to federal candidates, with most of that going to Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who has already lost his race when he failed to qualify for his party’s nomination. Administrative costs, advertisements and consulting fees make up the bulk of its more than $135,000 in expenditures through March.

Single-issue groups are not the only organizations that have been joining the immigration debate, as businesses, business groups and professional associations rank among the 246 entities so far this year to lobby the federal government on immigration issues.

Many business and technology groups rely on foreign-born workers — legal and illegal — to fill key roles that enable them to innovate and grow.

Tech companies such as Microsoft and Intel push for reform that would help streamline the process for bringing new workers to the United States, as well as speed up the process to make immigrants permanent residents so they can continue working and innovating in the States. In 2009, Microsoft filed the most federal lobbying reports out of any group or company on immigration, according to the Center’s analysis.

Recently, New York City’s Michael Bloomberg and several other big city mayors joined forces with chief executives of corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, Disney and News Corp. to form the Partnership for a New American Economy. The Partnership contends that immigrants help improve the country’s economy.

“It’s our great strength as a nation, and it’s also critical for continued economic growth,” Walt Disney Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger said in a statement. “To remain competitive in the 21st century, we need effective immigration reform that invites people to contribute to our shared success by building their own American dream.”

As ideological groups, corporations and business groups weigh in on the debate, President Obama and Congress have their work cut out for them if they plan on bringing the fractious discourse together to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill anytime soon.

In a statement following President Obama’s speech this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reiterated said that “the best way to ensure that every job in this country retains basic rights and protections is to pass a bipartisan comprehensive solution to get undocumented immigrants out from the underground economy, into the system and under the rule of law.”

However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell balked at any suggestion of amnesty: “If [Obama] would take amnesty off the table and make a real commitment to border and interior security, he will find strong bipartisan support.”

Bipartisan support is what is likely needed in order for any type of comprehensive immigration reform to pass. To pass the Senate, a bill would need the support of at least six Republicans. In the House, it would probably need the support of 20 to 25 Republicans. This is a reachable goal, especially given the number of Republicans whose districts include large agri-business sectors that strongly support reform.

Obama voiced support of giving undocumented migrants a “pathway to citizenship” while also supporting further measures put in place to secure the US-Mexico border. Many Republicans have criticized Obama for not taking enough action to secure the border and enforce current immigration laws.

A new Arizona immigration law, which toughens enforcement against illegal immigrants by requiring police to question a person’s status if he or she don’t appear to be legally in the country, again vaulted immigration reform into national debate. The Obama administration is expected to join several private lawsuits aimed at stopping it from taking effect.

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